A Time for Action
by ObeseCommando
Summary: Sequel to "Undisclosed Desires." Ruby has succeeded in having a friendly outing for Weiss, but that's not enough for her. In order to get the icy heiress to understand her feelings, she will have to be more direct.
1. Chapter 1

Ruby leaned back in her chair and looked at her phone, holding her breath and hoping that another message from Weiss was there. The redhead frowned when she saw there were no new notifications. Groaning, she put the phone on her desk and turned her attention back to the computer. Although Weiss had said she was going to bed, Ruby had held out hope that the white-haired girl would send one more text. Ruby felt her face heat up at the thought and was glad she was alone. It was almost midnight and the house had been quiet for an hour, both Yang and their father preferring to go to bed early, leaving Ruby to her own devices. Such as thinking about a certain heiress in ways other than platonic friendship.

Ruby thought back to the friendly outing the two shared a week ago. It had almost been an entire day just doing fun things, and Ruby learned that even Weiss was able to relax and enjoy herself. But since then, the two had fallen back into their old routines. Weiss would work as a barista, Ruby would go and see her every day, and that was it. The only difference, Ruby hated to admit, was that she could no longer hold a steady conversation without getting tongue-tied.

She hated her newfound speech impediment with a passion. How could she convey her feelings if she couldn't even talk about the weather or order a coffee? Not to mention that the lack of progress was insulting for her sister's efforts too. Knowing Ruby's intentions, Yang had selflessly decided to give the young redhead all of the space she needed to woo the white-haired temptress, which meant that she seldom stayed at the coffee shop for long under the pretense of having to work a lot more. Ruby stood up to stretch. Her eyes were starting to hurt from looking at the screen for too long.

Ruby paced around her room, wondering if there was some way for her to spend more time with Weiss. She didn't want to rush into anything, but Ruby felt like her heart was going to explode each time she thought about the heiress. As a result, she couldn't even play The Sims anymore, thanks to the temptation of watching her digital replica kiss the little Weiss all night. That wasn't to say that she had not given in to those urges, but Ruby didn't want to make it a habit.

Ruby stared out of the window, mind filling with questions. How could she make the digital kisses a reality? How could she show Weiss how much she cared?

At that moment, as Ruby gazed upon the stars, the planets fell into perfect alignment, and through the cosmic channels of inspiration, Ruby Rose was struck with an idea from the very heavens. She was going to ask over Weiss for a sleepover.


	2. Chapter 2

Weiss couldn't explain the smile she always felt when she saw the two sisters came in for their usual orders of heart attacks. She remembered how she first met them. She had applied to work at the little coffee shop to get away from her family and because she knew Blake was there. Knowing someone on the inside was usually a good way to get into a new job, or so she had read. Weiss had hoped to get an interview at least, but part of her was afraid her family would squelch her desire to do something other than what they dictated to her. So when the call came, the young heiress immediately agreed to the earliest time to meet with the café's owner before anyone could stop her. Weiss had to sneak out of her own house to make the appointment on time.

Halfway through the interview, which had been filled with mundane questions like "Why did you apply here?" and "What do you see as your greatest weaknesses?" the door opened, and suddenly the whole area seemed a little brighter. Weiss had her back to the door, but Port looked over her shoulder and muttered, "Those two again."

The heiress frowned and considered the deviation from the interview to be unprofessional, but it also gave her a chance to sate her growing curiosity. She turned and caught a glimpse of two young women walking to the counter. One was dressed in a dirty pair of shoes, wrinkled blue jeans, and a faded red hoodie. Her hair was cut to frame one side of her face and had red tips. The other girl, however… Weiss swallowed. She forced herself to remember why she was there.

Port started, "So the next ques—"

The blonde girl let out a loud whistle. "Hey Mr. Port, who's that? Isn't she a little young for you?"

Port's eyes darkened underneath his bushy eyebrows. "Ms. Xiao Long, I would thank you for not terrorizing my perspective employees."

Weiss noticed a spark in the blonde's lilac eyes, which sent a shiver up her spine. Ms. Xiao Long raised a hand at Blake, who had been preparing the redhead's order. "Then let's see how much of a coffee slinger she really is." She gave Weiss an amused smirk. "Hey, princess. I'll have a coffee."

"Ms. Xiao Long, I am going to have to ask you to leave if you don—"

"Coming right up." Weiss left the startled Port and stomped around the counter, aware that everyone in the café was watching her. She cleared her throat and took a moment to take in her surroundings. Blake leaned against the counter, arms folded. Weiss knew the black-haired girl wouldn't let her destroy the work area and would probably answer any questions. Emboldened by the thrill of the challenge, Weiss looked at the blonde and asked, "What size?"

Ms. Xiao Long shrugged. "Surprise me. Though I hear small things are full of flavor."

Was that a comment on her height? Weiss clenched her jaw and forced herself to not vault over the counter to thrash the arrogant blonde. Instead, she grabbed a medium-sized cup and filled it with the strongest coffee that had been brewed. Weiss made sure to leave room at the top of the mug. Then she grabbed a bottle marked "Espresso" and added several drops.

Weiss looked around the counter and saw a packet for a spicy, cinnamon topping. She picked it up and put it aside. She turned to Blake and asked, "Where's the whipped cream?"

"Gettin' fancy for me? And here I only wore these old rags," Ms. Xiao Long teased.

Blake rolled her eyes at the blonde's comment and pointed, far too interested in the drama to bother speaking. Weiss saw the container and added a healthy layer to the top of the coffee. Then she added the cinnamon and put a lid on top of the concoction.

"Here," Weiss said, using every ounce of her willpower to keep herself from slamming the cup on the counter.

Ms. Xiao Long picked up the cup and took a long drink. When she put the cup down, the blonde thought for a moment, which afforded everyone in the café a much-longed-for break from her boisterous attitude, before saying, "Sloppy, but it's sweet and with one hell of a bite." Ms. Xiao Long winked and added, "I'll be back for one just like it tomorrow, princess."

"My name is Weiss," the heiress said and crossed her arms. "And I'll be waiting."

Weiss blinked a few times, forcing her mind back into the present. At least it had been a slow shift, which was odd for a morning shift. That also meant that she was horribly bored. The entire store had been cleaned from top to bottom, meaning that the only thing she could do was daydream. However, before she could think about the next time she had to deal with Ruby and Yang, the little bell over the door rang.

The heiress forced herself to stand up straighter and turned to see who had come in. As if her thoughts had summoned them, Ruby and Yang had appeared. Ruby's shoulders were hunched, which was something Weiss had noticed a lot from the younger girl lately. Yang wore her usual grin. Weiss felt her face heat up. She cleared her throat and asked, "Same as always?"

"You know it, Weissy," Yang said. She leaned on the counter and Weiss frowned. The blonde was wearing a tank top underneath her leather jacket.

"Yeah, me too," Ruby muttered. The younger girl was wearing her usual hoodie, but this time she had pulled the red hood up. It was strange to see the energetic girl being so reserved, Weiss thought as she prepared the two drinks.

None of the group spoke as Weiss worked. She could hear the two sisters moving behind her, and she imagined that they were making some sort of joke behind her back. Weiss felt pinpricks running up her neck while her mind ran through the possibilities. However, there wasn't any giggling when the movement stopped. Weiss let herself release the breath she had been holding and turned around, expecting to catch the two in the middle of some awful prank. However, nothing had changed.

Yang looked at the cup in Weiss's hand and said, "Make mine to go."

Weiss raised an eyebrow. She felt like the room had gotten a little colder. "Really?"

"Yep. Gotta get going to work."

"Well… okay." Weiss poured the drink into a stainless steel travel cup. She wasn't sure if there was a better way to present the drink, but she knew that Yang would be the last person to complain. And if the boisterous blonde was in such a hurry, she would probably appreciate the speedy service.

"Uh, one of the cardboard cups would've worked," Yang said.

Weiss snapped back to the present and realized what she had just done. She put the mug on the counter and glared at the blonde. "Since you're spending so much time at work, you should keep a portable cup so you don't keep wasting ours. Besides, there's a discount if you bring in a reusable mug."

Yang's momentary confusion evaporated, replaced with her usual grin. "Thanks, but is the mug gonna cost me extra?"

"I'll pay for it this time."

"Awesome! Thanks, snow pea!" Yang deposited her money on the counter and scooped up her drink. She was gone before the new, awful nickname sunk in.

"Never call me that again!" Weiss shouted at the closed door. She imagined the blonde would be grinning all the way to work.

"So," Ruby said, almost making Weiss jump out of her skin. She had forgotten the redhead was there. "How are you?"

Weiss put a hand on her temple. "I am trying to ignore the headache that your sister just gave me."

Ruby offered a weak smile. "She means well."

It wasn't news to Weiss. She had spent enough time with Yang to know all about the blonde's manners. Or lack thereof. What was new was Ruby's choice of seats. Usually the redhead sat at the table in the corner where she could read. However, lately the younger girl had been sitting at the counter. Perhaps the change didn't mean much, but the redhead had been acting nervously whenever Weiss was around. The contradictory behavior had started to become annoying, especially when the heiress saw Ruby talking to Blake like nothing was wrong.

Weiss squared her shoulders. The location was bare of others. Perhaps Ruby would like to talk.

"Hey Weiss, what are you doing this Friday?" Ruby blurted.

The heiress's vision suddenly started to spin. She gripped the counter, hopefully without alerting Ruby. It was just like the last time when Ruby asked if she wanted to go on an outing. Weiss took several deep breaths and asked, "Why?"

"Well." The younger girl paused and brought her lips close to the edge of her mug. Combined with the red hood, Weiss could not see any part of Ruby's face except for her eyes. "I was wondering if you'd like to have a sleepover at my house," Ruby quickly said.

"A sleepover?" Weiss repeated. The light-headedness dissipated as she processed the request. It didn't surprise her that Ruby would be the one to suggest something so innocent. It also provided her an opportunity to not be home for a night. Plus, if she went back to their house, she could finally find out what was going on. Weiss ignored the faint stirring in her heart and said, "Alright."

The way Ruby's eyes lit up made the biggest firework display look like a sparkler. In the sudden torrent coming from the redhead's mouth about all the fun things they could do, Weiss found the ability to smile. Ruby was acting just like her old self again, and hopefully on Saturday morning, everything would go back to normal.


	3. Chapter 3

For a Friday night, the store was absolutely dead.

Yang leaned against her cash register, surveying the aisles that were basked in the awful, eternal glow of fluorescent lighting. The PA system blared the same announcements from the store owners, thanking the whopping crowd of two families for shopping there. The dull _whir_ of the two coolers by the opening to the register made for great white noise. It allowed the blonde to think about home and wonder how Ruby was as a hostess. Of course, that depended on Ruby not being a nervous wreck around Weiss. Yang chuckled at the thought and shifted her weight.

Although Ruby had asked the heiress about the sleepover on Monday, the redhead had been having second thoughts ever since. Yang had tried to calm her sister down, but Ruby would eventually find some other thing to worry about. What if Weiss didn't like their house? What if the food tasted bad? What if she was allergic to dogs? Yang sighed. Going to work was almost a blessing to get away from Ruby's mounting concerns.

However, it wasn't a complete blessing. Because she had chosen a closing shift, there was a good chance that Yang wouldn't get to see Weiss in her pajamas. What would the heiress of one of the most successful companies wear to bed? Yang bit her lip and envisioned Weiss in a see-through nightgown. Or maybe, instead of a nightgown, the heiress would just wear an old, massive shirt. But what would she wear underneath? Would she wear anything underneath? She wondered if Weiss ever had the same sorts of thoughts, all alone in her massive, white bed, shouting Yang's name into her pillow. Yang grinned against the heat building in her cheeks.

"What sort of perverted thing are you thinking about now?" Blake asked.

Yang choked on her spit and leapt away from the sudden arrival. The edge of the conveyer belt behind her dug into her back. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I didn't. You were too busy thinking about something," Blake said. She reached into her bag and started to unload her purchases.

Yang huffed, but she couldn't stay annoyed with Blake for long. She took her spot by her register and scanned the items. Was it really that obvious that she was daydreaming? Then again, she hadn't been making any effort to hide that fact.

"I'm surprised that you're here, honestly. Weiss was telling me that Ruby asked her to spend the night at your house. I didn't think that you'd miss the opportunity to tease her."

Yang grinned. "Yeah, it would've been pretty great, but I told Ruby that I wouldn't embarrass her or anything."

"I don't think Ruby would ever feel embarrassed by you. _Because_ of you, sure. But I'm sure she loves you enough to take anything you do in stride." Blake produced a massive pile of coupons and put them in front of Yang.

"You really know how to make someone's night." Yang picked up the first coupon and scanned it.

"You weren't doing anything important."

"Hey, thinking about Weiss in her underwear is _very_ important!" Yang shouted before she could stop herself. Upon realizing what she had just broadcasted to the world, she felt her face heat up, and she suddenly had the urge to crawl into a dark cave and die.

Blake cleared her throat, reluctantly bringing Yang back to the conversation she didn't want to be in. "It's about time you were direct about it."

"Huh?"

"I was about to hit you if I had to listen to any more of your awkward flirting."

"Wait, you mean you're not surprised?"

Blake stared at Yang for an uncomfortable second. The blonde resisted the urge to take a step back. "Are you forgetting about how many times we've been out and you made catcalls to almost every girl you passed on the street?"

"Oh, yeah." Yang scratched the back of her head. "But those were just for fun. I didn't actually… fantasize about any of those girls. And Weiss is our friend, so doesn't that kind of make it weird?"

"No," Blake deadpanned, crossing her arms.

"But wh—"

"Yang. You like her. Give it a shot."

In her own direct, emotionless way, Blake had given the blonde the sort of validation she had been seeking. Sure, she had told Ruby that she would stay away from Weiss, but surely if Weiss liked Ruby, the heiress would've done something about it, right? And with all of the little gestures Weiss had been giving her, like the free travel cup, perhaps Weiss was saying that she liked her instead? There was only one way to know, and Blake was giving her the go-ahead to find out.

Yang focused on Blake, her vision becoming a blurry tunnel with her friend at the end. Blake tried to step away from the inevitable leaping hug, but she was too slow. The blonde shot over her station and tackled Blake, squeezing the black-haired girl and trying to properly articulate her excitement, though it came out as gibberish. The pile of coupons scattered around the two friends.

"Y-Y-Yang," Blake choked, clawing at the floor. "I can't breathe."

The blonde ignored her friend, too swept up in her excitement to acknowledge the cracks, pops, and groans coming from Blake's body. She felt like she could fly, and come next week, after Ruby had had her shot, Yang planned to lay her heart out to Weiss. She gave Blake one last squeeze, which caused the black-haired girl to twitch. "Thank you so much, Blake. I'll pay for your groceries this time!"

Blake croaked, "Pay for my funeral instead."

Throughout the week, Weiss had been trying to imagine what a Ruby Rose sleepover would be like. Her mind had run the gauntlet, through the insane to the impossible, because who could really understand how Ruby's mind worked? If she had pulled up to the redhead's house and saw Ruby in the front lawn with a massive, garish cannon with the idea of being launched into the air, Weiss wouldn't be sure if she would be surprised.

What did surprise her was how laid back the entire night had been. Though Ruby still acted with a bit of nervousness, she had been a perfect hostess. Since it was already time for dinner, the two ordered a few pizzas and some soda. After that, Ruby put on some light music and, despite Weiss's protests about unhealthy eating habits, proceeded to make fresh cookies, which Weiss had never done before. While baking, Ruby took the time to brew a pot of coffee. Weiss had opted for a cup of tea instead. Working in a café had deadened her to the taste of coffee. The experience of baking was fun, if a little messy. And through it all, the two had been chatting about anything that came to mind. Weiss almost forgot about why she had been so concerned about the redhead.

However, all of the little touches Ruby kept instigating were enough to remind Weiss about how oddly the younger girl had been acting. Sometimes the redhead would fall silent and watch as Weiss scooped out the dough and put it on the cookie sheet, looking like there was something she wanted to say but lacked the nerve to do so. And every time Weiss maintained eye contact for more than five seconds, Ruby would begin to blush and look away. Weiss forced a smile for Ruby's benefit.

"Looks like those cookies are done," Ruby said, nodding toward the oven.

"I'll get them." Weiss slipped on a pair of oven mitts and turned off the timer. She pulled the cookies out and put the hot cookie sheet on the stove top.

Ruby appeared behind her and scanned the cookies with a critical eye. After a moment, the redhead turned to face Weiss and said, "They're looking great! You're really good at baking." Ruby leaned a little closer and slyly added, "Are you sure you haven't done this before?"

"I've just had a good teacher."

Again Ruby blushed and backed away from Weiss, but not before replacing her conspiratorial smirk with a genuine smile.

Weiss wasn't blind. She knew Ruby had a crush on her. But looking at the redhead incited no sort of feelings outside of friendship. Now if only Weiss could think of a way to let the younger girl down gently. The heiress resisted the urge to put her hand on her temple before she got cookie dough on her face. At least Yang worked late and had not been dividing the heiress's attention between the two siblings. If that had happened, she was sure Ruby would catch on to who she really had feelings for.

As if on cue, a headlight appeared outside of the small kitchen window. Ruby perked up. "Yang is home? What time is it?" Ruby looked at the small clock hanging on the wall. Weiss thought the redhead's eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. "Oh no! It's almost eleven! Uh," Ruby turned back to Weiss and asked, "do you want to use the shower first?"

Weiss shrugged. "How about you go first? I wasn't the one that got a face full of flour."

Ruby shifted on her feet, eyes darting between Weiss and the backdoor. "Are you sure? You're the guest, after all."

"I am sure. Now hurry up. Didn't you say you wanted to watch a movie before going to bed?" Weiss sat on one of the wooden chairs and crossed her arms, hoping it would make the redhead leap into action.

"Well, if you're absolutely sure. I'll be done as quickly as I can!" Ruby ran up the stairs in a flash.

Weiss thought about shouting a reminder to take the time to maintain proper hygiene and not rush through the shower, but she decided against it. There was no way Ruby would hear. And besides, the heiress wanted to have some time to talk to Yang.

The heiress picked up her tea mug with both hands and let the heat course through her body. She tried to ignore the way the tea started to shake in the mug as she heard Yang walking closer, her boots stomping up the concrete steps, pausing long enough to unlock the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Yang stood in the driveway by her motorcycle, twirling her key ring on one finger, Blake's words ringing through her head. The front windows of the house were dark, which had made her hope that Ruby and Weiss had gone to bed. But when she pulled around to the back, she saw that they had been in the kitchen. The kitchen. Where there was food. Yang's stomach rumbled, making her wince more than the cold wind. She silently scolded herself for only eating a pack of crackers throughout the whole day. The only thing keeping her outside was her promise to Ruby, because what if she went inside and Weiss wanted to talk? With the way Yang had been avoiding her, the heiress was bound to have questions, and Yang knew Weiss well enough to know that the heiress wouldn't take any excuses. Yang crossed her arms and leaned against her motorcycle.

If a conversation was imminent, she would just have to keep it as short as possible. She would have to go in, acknowledge Ruby and Weiss, and get up the stairs as quickly as possible. Ruby would surely keep Weiss's attention long enough for her to get into her room. After that, the rest of the night would be a breeze. She could go a night without dinner. There was half a bag of chips on her desk that would tide her over.

Yang gripped her key and nodded to herself. The plan was set. Now all she had to do was execute it. She took a deep breath and marched up the stairs. She opened the door and immediately bit her tongue to keep herself from squeaking in terror.

The kitchen looked the same as it always did: orange walls, ugly linoleum, and cluttered countertops. Layers of fresh cookies were either on the stove or on the table in the middle of the room. And sitting at the table, staring right at her, was Weiss. All by herself. Yang's plan had already fallen apart.

Yang suppressed the urge to turn around, hop onto her motorcycle, and beg Blake to let her stay over. Instead, she forced a smile and said the first thing to come to mind. "Dang, Weissy, what I would give to come home to you every night."

Yang wondered if it was possible to die through embarrassment. If not, she felt like she was about to make a scientific discovery. If only she would be alive to collect the prize for her great contribution to the world.

"And what if you didn't have to give anything?" Weiss asked, never breaking eye contact.

The blonde felt like time stopped. She wanted to think that her mind was playing tricks on her. There was no way that Weiss, the icy heiress, would say something that even remotely reciprocated her feelings. At least not with any shred of sincerity. That was it, Yang decided. She was being teased! The travel cup was just a ruse to hook her in! Coming to that realization, the blonde laughed and started for the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" Weiss's gaze pinned Yang to the floor.

"I was gonna take a shower and go to bed?" Yang kept her eyes on the stairs, hoping to get out of the conversation quickly.

"Without eating anything? I don't think so. Sit down and have some pizza," Weiss commanded.

_Oh boy_, Yang thought, _she sounds upset_. Regardless, the blonde obeyed the instructions. She grabbed a plate, took three slices of pizza, and started to sit on a chair that wasn't across from Weiss until the heiress directed her to the chair that was. Yang sat, though she felt slightly shamed for being bossed around in her own home. But she had been around Weiss long enough to know that the heiress had an odd way to show that she cared about someone. It often involved harsh reprimands and Weiss furrowing her brow in the cutest way. Yang looked up and saw that her memory of Weiss's irritated expression was spot-on with reality.

"It feels like it's been a while since we had a chance to ourselves," Weiss said.

"Mhm." Yang stuffed a large bite of pizza into her mouth. The hot, saucy, cheesy goodness tasted like an unhealthy slice of heaven after a long day at work. "Pass the garlic sauce?" Yang pointed at an unopened cup.

Weiss pursed her lips. "Maybe if you learned not to talk with your mouth full."

Yang narrowed her eyes, took another bite, and tried to say, "You're not my mom." The words came out as a pizza-laden gurgle.

Weiss recoiled and muttered something that Yang couldn't hear over her own chewing. She swallowed and asked, "What did you say?"

"I said that you're a big brute who doesn't know anything about decent table manners."

Yang raised an eyebrow and took another bite. She saw that whatever Weiss had said was much shorter than that, but she was willing to overlook it. After all, she didn't want the conversation to last longer than it had to. Though, now that she was finally able to talk with Weiss, Yang couldn't help but feel a little resentful towards Ruby for ever suggesting that the blonde minimize contact with Weiss just so the younger girl could try to seduce her. Although Yang knew that she did not have to accept the idea, it didn't make her feel any better for not thinking about how Weiss felt. After all, what if the heiress didn't even _want_ to have a relationship with Ruby?

What if Weiss liked her instead? Yang crammed more pizza into her mouth to stop herself from blushing. Thankfully, the thoughts were interrupted as Weiss made a gagging sound. "Ugh, at least wipe your face. You look like a mess."

"Yeah?" Yang challenged. "Are you going to do it for me, since I'm such a big brute that doesn't know how to do anything?"

The taunt was meant to create distance between them, and Yang mentally patted herself on the back for being both flirtatious and cold. It seemed to have the desired effect, as Weiss leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. However, what Yang didn't expect was for the heiress to grab a napkin and walk around the table. Weiss put a hand on Yang's shoulder, forcing the blonde to look up at the heiress's scowling face in time to see her lick the napkin and use it to wipe the pizza sauce off of Yang's face.

Yang's mind was a flurry of activity. The pizza sauce could have been wiped away with a dry napkin. Weiss was blushing while she did her task. She ran the napkin over Yang's lips, and the blonde couldn't resist poking her tongue out, just the tiniest bit. So long as Weiss didn't know that Yang tried to get a taste of her saliva, then it couldn't count as Yang trying to seduce the heiress, right?

"There, all clean," Weiss said, her voice strained. Yang felt like she could hear her own heartbeat echo throughout the room.

"Are you sure?" Yang rasped. "Maybe look a little closer? I feel like there's a little more on my lips." She wondered why her mind supplied the words, or why her traitorous tongue decided to speak them.

Weiss offered a small smile and closed her eyes. Yang felt like her poor heart was about to lodge itself in her throat as she hoped that the heiress would actually lean forward for a kiss. Instead, she said, "It sounds like Ruby is done bathing."

"Huh?" The furious beating in her chest finally stopped. Ruby. She was still in the house, and Yang had all but left her promise in tatters on the floor. Yet she realized that she didn't feel guilty about any of it. If anything, all Yang wanted to do was pull the diminutive heiress onto her lap and give her a long kiss.

"Enjoy your dinner, Yang," Weiss said as she left the kitchen to bathe.

Yang tried to say one last thing, but for once that evening, her mind came up empty. She was content to just watch Weiss walk away, especially when the heiress had worn her tight, white pants. If her face hadn't been on fire already, the sight would have affected her.

With Weiss gone, Yang was able to focus on her pizza, though her appetite had disappeared. She took a small bite and chewed. The kitchen felt too small. She forced herself to swallow and take another bite. The taste barely registered. The promise was essentially destroyed. There was no way Ruby had a chance with Weiss now, right? Yang hung her head and started tapping her index finger on the table to create some noise against the mounting silence. In a few days, her sister was going to hate her. Though she knew that she could just walk away, Yang wasn't sure if Weiss would let her. She pushed the plate away and crossed her arms. Despite the heat building within her, Yang started to shake; her head filling with images of Ruby's approaching scorn.


	5. Chapter 5

As far as Ruby was concerned, the sleepover could only be considered a success. The pizza had arrived on time, the kitchen didn't explode from making cookies, and she was able to get extra close to the heiress while they watched a forgettable action movie. As an added plus, the two had brushed hands more times than Ruby cared to count. The only hiccup had been when she had to shower and leave Weiss alone with Yang. The two had surely talked, but Ruby trusted her sister to remember their promise. All she needed was a little more time, Ruby decided while she stared at the ceiling. She scolded herself. Why should she look at the ceiling when the very person of her affections was so close? Her cheeks turning red, Ruby shifted from her spot on the floor to get a better look at the heiress.

Weiss had collapsed on the couch soon after the movie ended, pausing just long enough to brush her teeth. It was strange to see how Weiss changed when she wasn't thinking about what was and what wasn't proper. Now that she was asleep, the icy heiress had her mouth open, just a bit, and her ivory hair flowed unrestrained, making it look like she had decided to sleep on a cloud rather than a pillow. The sight made Ruby's heart flutter, and she tried to ignore the way Weiss's chest rose and fell. But she couldn't help herself from staring. Just looking at Weiss made her happy. And while the heiress was sleeping and no one else was around to judge, Ruby figured it would be best for her to push through her embarrassment and gaze at Weiss for as long as she could. There was no better way to fall asleep.

Weiss rolled around on the couch, teetering in and out of an uncomfortable half-sleep. The unfamiliar surroundings made it impossible for her to find a nice way to lie, and it didn't help that she couldn't shake the feeling that Ruby had been staring at her. How could she let the younger girl know that she had her sights set on Yang? More importantly, how would Ruby react? Should Weiss have just been upfront with the younger girl about her feelings? But there hadn't been much of a chance for that. Sure, Ruby's feelings had not been entirely obvious until that evening, but perhaps Weiss could have hinted that she liked Yang instead? The heiress rolled on her side, plagued by the horrors of "what if" scenarios. Ruby would just have to learn that she couldn't always get what she wanted. Though, speaking of getting what one wanted, Weiss realized she had to go to the bathroom.

With a groan, Weiss sat up and put her feet on the floor. Ruby didn't move and had probably fallen asleep where she was splayed on the floor. Despite wearing a sleep mask, the redhead had decided to leave it over her forehead. Weiss smiled and shook her head before setting off for the bathroom. She slowly made her way to the stairs, hoping that she wouldn't step on Ruby or stub her toe in the process as she navigated through the dark house. She managed to find the handrail for the stairs, which she grabbed onto like her life depended on it. All of the adrenaline from not dying was enough to wake her up, thus obliterating all hope of falling asleep easily, which she realized with a frown.

Weiss made her way to the top of the stairs. She was glad to see that the restroom was open and unoccupied. But then she noticed the light coming from one of the other rooms. Their father had gone to bed early and Ruby was asleep. That could only mean that Yang was still awake. Weiss bit her lip. Perhaps the blonde would appreciate a late night visit? Weiss shuffled in the hallway for a moment, torn between her decisions. What if Yang was actually sleeping and just forgot to turn off a light? But then she would have an excuse to go into Yang's room. Weiss stepped into the bathroom, the cold tile giving her a jolt. Perhaps she could see if the light was still on _after_ going to the bathroom. She wasn't trying to get out of going into Yang's room. Not at all.

Yang's poor, poor heart had not stopped its marathon since dinner. Even after a cold shower, she could still feel the heat rising throughout her body. It was enough to stop her from going to bed, which would only result in her rolling around uncomfortably. So she turned on her computer and decided to play videogames to take her mind off of Weiss. But it didn't help. No matter how many people she destroyed, the explosions she caused, or the accusations of hacking she accumulated, nothing she did was enough to stop her from thinking about the icy, beautiful, untouchable heiress. After another game, Yang ran her hands through her hair and groaned. She was tired, but she didn't want to go to bed. To make matters worse, Weiss was in her potentially sexy pajamas and Yang wouldn't get to see them! Maybe the heiress would be open to another sleepover? Yang rubbed her eyes, thinking that it might be best to keep her thoughts to herself. She doubted Weiss would wear see-through nightgowns every night.

The music from the game was quiet enough for Yang to hear her door open and close. Yang kept her eyes on the screen. She was used to Ruby coming and going, and after all the torment her sister was putting her through, Yang didn't feel like turning around and hearing about how Ruby was so close to snaring Weiss. Besides, a new game was going to start soon.

A hand rested on her shoulder. Yang forced herself to not jump. Ruby would usually plop on the bed. And their dad would just stand at the door and try to talk to her even though she would be wearing headphones. That could only mean that it was one person. Then the hand tightened its grip and forcefully turned Yang away from her computer. The headphones she was wearing fell to the ground. Weiss stood over her, her other hand on her hip.

"Oh, wow, hello there," Yang said, taking no time in absorbing the nightgown that Weiss was wearing. It wasn't revealing, but in the light from the desk lamp, the light blue fabric pulled across the heiress's body, leaving Yang's imagination to fill in the rest, but providing a very thorough guide. The gown almost made the blonde's jaw hit the floor.

"I think we have something to discuss," Weiss purred.

"Uh, you mean after that great conversation at the dinner table?" Yang offered with a weak laugh.

Weiss leaned closer, her ivory hair falling over her shoulder and brushing against Yang's bare thigh. Yang took a sharp breath at the contact, both cursing and thanking her short shorts. "Yes. Even after that."

The heiress had stopped her advancing, their noses almost touching. Yang wanted to wrap her arms around Weiss's neck. The heiress's cherry-scented shampoo filled each of Yang's nervous breaths, and the warmth from their proximity was enough to make her head spin. However, still thinking, barely, of her promise to Ruby, Yang forced herself to lean back. She tried to ignore the flicker of pain that passed through Weiss's eyes. "I-I don't think I can."

"W-why not?" Weiss stiffened and backed away. "Was I wrong?"

"No! It's just…" Yang lowered her head and looked away. Did Ruby ever say that she was supposed to keep their arrangement a secret? But then again, Weiss deserved to know. She blurted, "I told Ruby that I wouldn't. She likes you, and she thought that if I was around, she wouldn't stand a chance. So she asked if I could stay away from you for a bit."

Weiss blinked. Yang waited in the resounding silence for a massive tantrum. After all, it wasn't exactly nice for Ruby to try and manipulate Weiss's feelings. And although she was about to be stricken deaf by a vengeful heiress, it felt good to get the weight off of her shoulders. Weiss closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and held it. Yang winced in preparation.

When Weiss exhaled, she said, "Well, I knew that something was going on between you two. So now that we're being honest with each other, let me tell you two things. One, if you two ever conspire against me like that again, I will give you a thorough demonstration about why I have won so many fencing competitions. And two," Weiss cupped Yang's chin and forced her to look into the heiress's eyes, "it shouldn't matter what Ruby wants. This is between you and me."

"But Ruby likes you," Yang choked out, feeling her resolve crumble.

"And I like you." Weiss leaned forward and whispered. "And I know that you've been checking me out. You're not subtle."

Yang's mind furiously spun. She swore that she could hear every gear churning to regain some semblance of control. Weiss's closeness didn't help. Yang swallowed against her rapidly drying throat. She could take the heiress now, the person that had caused her to have so many conflicting emotions. Perhaps sensing Yang's feelings, Weiss pressed her lips directly beneath Yang's ear, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Yang shifted and took Weiss's lips with her own. The heiress's minty breath coursed throughout her. Yang ran a hand under Weiss's thigh before standing, effortlessly carrying Weiss without breaking the kiss. She took the few steps over to her bed and fell, turning in the air so that the heiress was on top.

Weiss pulled back to offer a wry grin and say, "Don't think you're getting anything just because we're on your bed."

"I don't care," Yang said, tightening her grip around the heiress's waist. "I don't care. It's fine just as long as you're here."

Hearing that response made Weiss's eyes widen with surprise, but then she offered a small smile, one that sent shivers up the blonde's spine. Weiss lay down, letting her rigidness melt and close the space between them. With the heiress's head in the crook of her neck, Yang couldn't look down, so she closed her eyes and let the warm, cherry scent carry her to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Ruby rose to the sound of bacon sizzling in the kitchen. She sat up and rubbed her back, stiff despite the sleeping bag she had taken the trouble of setting up and inconveniently rolling out of. She looked at the couch and felt a quick jolt of concern when she saw Weiss wasn't there. That was when she noticed the voices coming from the kitchen: Yang and Weiss. Ruby quickly got to her feet and walked into the kitchen.

Yang was standing by the stove, poking the bacon in the pan with a fork. Another pan was being used to make pancakes. Weiss was sitting at the table, resting her head on her hand. Ruby wasn't sure what the two had been talking about, but they both had relaxed, easy smiles, and Ruby couldn't help but notice how the two looked, as if they had lived out the same scene for years.

They didn't even seem to notice her arrival, so Ruby said, "Good morning!"

"Oh, hi Ruby!" Yang said. "Coffee just finished."

Ruby smiled and made her way to the coffee pot. Weiss _tsked_ and said, "I don't understand why you two come to the café every day if you have a coffee pot. Wouldn't it be cheaper to use it instead?"

"Yeah, probably," Yang said. "But then we wouldn't get to see you as often," she added with a wink.

Weiss's smile grew a small fraction. "Then maybe it is good that you don't use it."

Ruby had just taken a seat when a plate full of pancakes appeared in front of her. She had just enough time to thank her sister before eating. The others soon followed her example.

The three girls ate in silence. Yang sat across from Weiss, allowing Ruby to look at both of them. She was glad to see everyone was happy, especially after her odd request to her sister. However, all things considered, the sleepover had been a roaring success. She had been afraid that she would do something embarrassing, like sleep walk or talk in her dreams. Now all she had to do was think of a way to actually confess her feelings to Weiss.

"This syrup is sweeter than I'm used to," Weiss said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, but I could add a little more sugar if I kissed you," Yang said with a wink. The joke had been in the air for a second before her eyes grew wide and she said, "Shit."

Ruby would have written the comment off as a tease, but after all of the feelings she had been grappling with, she held her breath, hoping that she would see her sister's usual grin or hear Weiss snap against such a lewd proposition, especially since it came from Yang, the one who was always kidding around and was never, ever absolutely serious about any of the flirtatious behavior she demonstrated, and certainly not after the blonde had promised to Ruby that she would cut back on any of those sorts of comments to Weiss. But then she looked around.

Yang's eyes stayed wide.

Weiss was still cringing.

Ruby's heart was breaking.

"This is a joke, right?" Ruby squeaked. She turned to her sister and said, "Yang, you're joking, right?" The room started to turn blurry, and her face started to feel like it was burning. "I get it. You wanted to play a prank on me. You're good at those. Can we all laugh now?" Ruby forced a single chuckle. The others didn't reciprocate.

Yang put her fork down on her plate. She folded her hands, took a deep breath, and said, "Weiss, do you think you can give us a moment alone?"

"After you two were scheming behind my back? Absolutely not." Weiss leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

Both of the sisters winced at the heiress's pointed tone. Ruby tried to get a complete lungful of air to get through the knot in her throat. Did that mean Weiss knew about the promise? Did Yang tell her?

"Ruby," Yang said. She paused, and Ruby could tell from the lack of eye contact that her sister was thinking of what she should say next to soften the blow. It would have been more fruitful to think of a way to protect a window from shattering when hit with a baseball, or keeping Blake away from a tuna sandwich. Yang looked into Ruby's eyes, and whatever calming words she had managed to piece together blew away in an instant. The blonde clenched a fist, looked Ruby in the eyes, and said, "She already made her choice."

In the silence of the room, Ruby wanted to imagine that the sharp sound of her heart fully shattering was audible. She knew that the others couldn't hear it, that all they could hear was the annoying buzz of the refrigerator and the car that was driving by. Somehow she doubted that the others' vision had shrunk into a dark, dark tunnel, completely void of color, even at the end. If they did, they wouldn't have done anything to put themselves in that situation, but they sure didn't mind throwing her into it. Ruby focused on her plate, on the last few bits of pancake, and tried to breathe, tried not to throw up. In those few acts, she was successful and regained a small amount of control, but her head was still swimming.

When she found her voice, Ruby said, "Choice? You weren't even supposed to _be_ a choice! You promised that you would stay away!"

Weiss cleared her throat before Yang could say anything. When both sisters were looking at her, the heiress said, "Ruby, you have some thinking to do if you think a healthy relationship can work like that."

"What do you mean?"

"If you thought that I would completely forget about Yang just because I saw her less, then it's obvious that your tactic backfired." Weiss's face turned red as she continued. "I noticed that she wasn't around as often, and it just made me want to see her more."

Yang's jaw dropped. When she recovered, she said, "Aw, I love you too, snow pea!"

Weiss narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Not the time."

"Oh."

Seeing the two being so close was almost too much. Ruby had to remember to breathe again. Her nails were digging into her palms, but not enough to draw blood. She lowered her head but held eye contact. Yang looked at her with concern. Ruby ignored it. If her sister was truly concerned with her wellbeing, they wouldn't have been in that situation.

"How long?" Ruby whispered. She shook her head and asked again with enough force, she hoped, to make the kitchen shake. "How long have you two been together? How long have you two known that you _wanted_ the other?"

Yang bit her lip, but she was the first to speak. "You know the answer to that, Ruby. I've been talking about it for a while now."

"I thought you were joking!"

"I'm sorry."

Ruby reeled on Weiss, and she felt both ashamed and glad to see the heiress look away for a second. "Two months," Weiss said, embarrassment plain on her face.

All of the fire that had been accumulating in her chest was snuffed. It had been that long for both of them? She had never stood a chance. Not in a million years. As she deflated in her seat, Yang got up and put a hand on her shoulder. Ruby tried to shrug it off, but she was suddenly overwhelmed by the intense desire to do nothing.

"I am sorry, Ruby," Yang said in a low voice. "You were most likely just confused about Wei—"

"No I'm not!" The accusation that what she had just endured for so long wasn't real rekindled the embers. Ruby snapped, "These were the most real feelings I've ever had in my life!

I am not confused! How do you even know _your_ feelings are real and mine aren't? You can't read my mind!"

Yang kept looking at her, surprisingly calm despite the yelling. It bothered Ruby; like her sister knew something that she didn't and was just taunting her now.

The redhead changed focus and said, "I want to hear you say that you love her, Weiss. No beating around the bush."

Weiss was flustered as she said, "I just sai—"

"See? You can't even say it! But I can easily, and sincerely, say that I love you, Weiss!" Ruby stood despite Yang's closeness and leaned over her plate. Tears were burning a path down her cheeks.

Weiss opened her mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. Ruby was hoping for some sort of reciprocation, but it was more likely that the heiress didn't want to say anything upsetting. Ruby didn't see the point in dancing around anything. The day was already ruined. Her life was already ruined.

"I hate both of you," Ruby choked out.

Yang took a step back as if she had been slapped. Weiss pursed her lips. Neither spoke.

So Ruby decided to repeat herself. But once wasn't enough. So she said it again. And then her feet were taking her away from the kitchen, away from the pain, but her mouth kept moving and she didn't know what she was saying anymore. When she was back in her room, and the door was closed, she regained herself.

The safety of her room, her sanctuary, filled her. It forced out all of the bitterness, and she collapsed on her bed to get all of tears out. The covers were warm and she wrapped herself in them. As long as she was there, the world couldn't affect her, and she could go to sleep and have wonderful dreams. But she was still crying, and the tears stained her pillow and made it uncomfortable to lie on. She wiped her eyes and rolled on her back, content to stare at the ceiling and trying to keep her mind blank. It was an exercise in futility. She kept thinking about Weiss and Yang, still in the kitchen, undoubtedly hurt and worried about her. It was a good feeling. Why should she carry all of the sadness?

A pair of footsteps ascended the stairs, and Ruby was afraid that Yang would come in to talk more. She didn't want to hear any more. They had said all that needed to be said. Instead of stopping, her sister walked past, once to get dressed and once to go back down the stairs. Ruby released her breath and counted to three. She was in the clear. Then she heard the door open and she couldn't resist getting one last look at Weiss.

Ruby quietly opened her window and peeked out. Because she was directly facing the backyard, she had to lean on the windowsill to see the driveway. Both of them were out there, discussing something. Then they both got into Weiss's expensive-looking car.

As Ruby watched the car leave, she thought it took a part of her with it.

Author's notes:

So usually when I finish a story or submission, I find that I usually don't have a lot to say. This time, I do. Throughout the whole submission process ,I was just thinking, in a very cocky tone of voice, "Motherfucker, what? What? You thought this story was done? Whaaat?"

You want some trivia about this? I had to look at my gallery on DeviantArt to remember what I had named this story. And I don't know why, I just wrote a sad scene, but I am so happy to get it done, if that first paragraph was any indication. Another trivial bit is that I previously used this story to escape the humidity and the heat. I'm not a fan of humidity, so I set this story in Fall and kept thinking about how great everything would be if I wasn't sticking to every surface I came in contact with. Now that there's a very cool breeze, I was energized to finish the damn thing. A good night's rest might've helped, too.

Since Part 5, I knew that I was going to have to Ruby finding out, and I wanted to make sure that I could do it in such a way that it was passably good. And by the time it was done, I had to cut out so much of the other junk I had planned, like switching the POV between Ruby and Yang and having a scene where Yang was gone to get changed out of her pajamas so Ruby and Weiss could talk alone.

Now that this story is done, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to anyone who has made it this far. Every time I opened up the Word doc was both energizing and daunting, just like every story I've ever written. But for this one, I can finally close the Word document, roll my chair away from the computer, and look out the window with a content gaze and... wait, what's this? What's with all of these extra pages after the end of this story?

Could it be another?


End file.
